(8 ) VIRGINIA TECH 35 Texas A&M 19
The Hokies scored two late 4th quarter touchdowns to pull out the win and cover against Texas A&M. Virginia Tech rushed for 273 yards on 47 carries (5.8 ypc) while holding the Aggies to 102 yards on 39 carries (2.6 ypc). Texas A&M was held to 56 total yards in the 2nd half while the Hokies racked up 253 yards.
Nevada 42 SAN JOSE ST 30
Nevada dominated as they outyarded the Spartans 563-342 while holding the ball over 15 minutes longer. San Jose St.’s first two touchdowns came on a 99-yard interception return as time expired in the 2nd quarter and a 99-yard kickoff return in the 3rd quarter. Each of the Wolfpack’s first 7 drives were longer than 44 yards while averaging 64 yards per drive.
U-N-L-V 33 Hawaii 22
In what could have been the fix of the week, UNLV benefitted from 12 penalties totaling 129 yards with a few of those still up for discussion. The Warriors outyarded the Rebels 417-296 but 6 turnovers did not help their cause either. Due to the penalties, Hawaii’s averaging starting field position was from their own 48-yard line.
SYRACUSE 38 U-C-F 14
Syracuse pulled away late thanks to 318 yards on the ground on 52 carries (6.1 ypc), 241 of those from Walter Reyes. Central Florida couldn’t get anything going. They put together back-to-back drives totaling 145 yards but only gained 231 yards on their other 11 drives combined.
(12) Tennessee 24 (17) FLORIDA 10
Tennessee outgained Florida by just 20 total yards but held the ball nearly 12 minutes longer. The Vols took a 7-3 lead into the half thanks to a 48-yard hail mary as time expired. The Gators were just 1-3 in the redzone as two 4th quarter chances let to 0 points.
WISCONSIN 38 No Carolina 27
Talk about the emotional highs and lows of this game. Wisconsin kicked a field goal with 1:30 remaining giving them an 18-point lead and the likely cover. The Heels returned the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown but it was brought back because of a penalty. The Badger backers dodged a bullet or so they thought. North Carolina scored on a 26-yard pass as time expired to get the back door cover. Wisconsin finished 8-14 on 3rd and 4th down.
NC STATE 49 Texas Tech 21
The Red Raiders outyarded NC State 681-474 with 586 of those yards coming through the air. The Wolfpack used an interception return and a blocked punt return for two touchdowns. While B.J. Symons threw for more yardage, Philip Rivers was more consistent and avoided mistakes as he went 18-22 for 257 yards. The Wolfpack gained 217 yards on the ground on 39 carries (5.6 ypc) while getting the easy cover.
California 31 ILLINOIS 24
Illinois outyarded Cal 496-368 and ran 23 more plays but the Bears used a punt return for a TD as the difference. Cal also took advantage of an interception and a turnover on downs by the Illini to get 10 points that way. Illinois gained only 97 total yards in the first half falling behind 21-7 at the break.
(5) OHIO STATE 24 Bowling Green 17
The Buckeyes held of yet another late comeback by an opponent as Bowling Green rallied from a 24-7 fourth quarter deficit and almost tied the game in getting the cover. The Falcons registered more total yards, 366-323, but 3 costly interceptions did them in. One interception occurred the next play after a touchdown pass was dropped while the other two happened in Buckeye territory. The Falcons gained just 49 yards in the 2nd and 3rd quarters.
Marshall 27 (6) KANSAS STATE 20
One of the big MAC upsets on the day, the Herd held Kansas St. on a 4th and goal to end the game. The Wildcats gained 53 more total yards but a –3 turnover margin kept Marshall in the game as17 points were scored from Kansas St. turnovers. The Herd did an exceptional job on the ground, gaining 210 yards on 45 carries (4.7 ypc) while holding the Wildcats to 128 yards rushing on 39 carries (3.3 ypc).
PENN STATE 32 Kent State 10
Kent was able to keep Penn St. in check just enough to get the cover, as QB Joshua Cribbs was never a factor, leaving after the second play of the game. The Nittany Lions held the Flashed to 11 first downs and 184 total yards of offense. Penn St. finally shut down somebody on the ground, holding Kent to 79 yards on 41 carries (1.9 ypc) while gaining 282 yards on 51 carries (5.5 ypc) themselves. The Flashed entered Penn St. territory just once in their final 11 possessions.
(25) PURDUE 59 Arizona 7
As the score indicates, this game wasn’t even close. Purdue outyarded the Wildcats 580-174 and had 16 more first downs, 28-12. Balance was on display for the Boilermakers with 292 yards on the ground and 288 through the air. The Wildcats weren’t shy about giving up the big plays as 5 of Purdue’s 8 touchdowns were 29 yards or longer. The Wildcats may have thrown in the towel already.
NAVY 39 Eastern Mich 7
Eastern Michigan allowed 372 rushing yards on 65 carries (5.7 ypc) as Navy didn’t need to throw the ball to get the easy ewin and cover here. Navy failed to get into Eagles territory on only 2 of their 11 drives. Eastern Michigan turned the ball over in 5 of their 6 first half possessions. Once again, Eastern Michigan could not run the ball, gaining 32 yards on 22 carries (1.5 ypc).
(23) MISSOURI 41 Mid Tenn St 40
The Tigers survived a scare from the Blue Raiders as they scored the tying touchdown with 1:17 remaining in regulation. You couldn’t have a more even game as they were separated by 1 first down and 5 total yards. Both teams were 8-15 on 3rd down and both were 7-7 in the redzone. The difference was a missed extra point in overtime by Middle Tennessee St. The 22-point spread never came into play.
AIR FORCE 35 Wyoming 29
While the total yards were close, Air Force outrushed the Cowboys 431-88 thus controlling nearly 7 minutes more of the clock. Wyoming took a 22-21 lead in the third quarter but the Falcons responded with two consecutive 80-yard drives to go up by 13 points. Wyoming countered with an 82- yard touchdown drive late in the 4th but were never able to get the ball back.
Northwestern 28 DUKE 10
Northwestern won this game with their rushing attack and the ability to stop that of Duke’s. The Wildcats ran for 286 yards on 45 carries (6.4 ypc) while holding the Blue Devils to 90 yards on 32 attempts (2.8 ypc). Northwestern started the game with 2 long touchdown drives while Duke was forced to punt on each of their first 5 drives and could never recover from there.
BALL STATE 27 Central Mich 14
Ball St. held Central Michigan to 10 first downs helping them control nearly 14 more minutes of the clock. The Cardinals used a very balanced attack with 206 rushing yards and 215 passing yards. Ball St. finished 9-20 on 3rd and 4th down. 12 of Central Michigan’s 14 drives consisted of 4 plays or less.
Michigan St 22 NOTRE DAME 16
Notre Dame finished with 5 more first downs but the Spartans used the big play in winning this game. They scored on a 71-yard run in the 3rd quarter and ran back a 40-yard interception for a touchdown in the 4th. Notre Dame has 89 total yards in the first half.
Miami-Ohio 41 COLORADO ST 21
Miami Ohio rolled on the road as they ran for 206 yards on 39 carries (5.3 ypc) while holding the Rams to 39 yards on 29 carries (1.3 ypc). The Redhawks were able to control the clock nearly 12 minutes longer thus running 21 more plays from scrimmage. They finished 10-17 on 3rd down and put together 7 drives of 53 yards or more.
LOUISVILLE 42 Texas-El Paso 14
UTEP scored first and last but allowed the Cardinals 42 points in-between. Besides their two touchdown drives, the Miners only gained 165 total yards but they did enter Louisville territory 4 other times - they missed a field goal and turned the ball over on downs the three other times. Louisville entered UTEP territory on 9 of their first 10 drives.
(19) WASHINGTON 45 Idaho 14
Idaho stayed close for a while until the Huskies scored the final 28 points and getting the cover with 2:42 remaining. Washington held the Vandals to 10 first downs and 206 total yards while racking up 502 total yards themselves. The Huskies pass defense allowed just 86 yards on 9-30 passing.
(1) OKLAHOMA 59 U-C-L-A 24
Antoni Perkins returned 3 punts for touchdowns and the Oklahoma defense returned an interception for a touchdown. The Bruins had only 3 drives of more than 23 yards of their 17 total drives. UCLA was able to hold the Sooners to 111 yards rushing on 35 carries (3.2 ypc).
(11) L-S-U 17 (7) Georgia 10
LSU scored the game winner on a 34-yard touchdown pass with 1:22 remaining just minutes after Georgia tied the game on a 93-yard pass play. The Bulldogs outyarded LSU 411-285 and had 7 more first downs but 3 missed field goal by Billy Bennett was the difference.
(10) FLORIDA STATE 47 Colorado 7
Florida St. dominated as they racked up 551 yards of offense, including 458 through the air. They doubled up on the Buffaloes first downs 26-13 and if not for an 81-yard touchdown pass, they would have recorded their second shutout of the season. Taking out that pass play, the Buffs gained only 194 yards on offense.
(22) OREGON 31 (3) Michigan 27
Michigan started off good by blocking a field goal and returning it for a touchdown but then the Ducks took over scoring the next 24 points. Oregon did a superb job on the Michigan running game, allowing -3 total net yards on only 19 carries. The Wolverines were forced to throw the ball more than they liked due to falling behind so early. The Ducks held Michigan to 54 total yards on their first 9 drives of the game.
Tulane 50 ARMY 33
Army finished with more total yards, 481-479, and more first downs, 29-26, but their 8 turnovers were impossible to overcome. Tulane held tough in the first half as they were able to put up 3 touchdowns while allowing only 2 Army field goals. J.P. Losman played a nearly flawless game going 26-34 for 350 yards and 5 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. The Green Wave scored with 3:18 remaining to get the cover or the push in some cases.
(24) WASHINGTON ST 23 New Mexico 13
The Cougars used 5 field goals to get the win ver the Lobos but not the cover. The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates as Washington St. outyarded New Mexico 433-257 and had 15 more first downs 27-12. To the Lobos credit, the defense stood when it had to but it was their offense that didn’t do the job. 10 of their 13 drives were 4 plays or less.
Kentucky 34 INDIANA 17
Indiana outyarded the Wildcats 449-354 and had 5 more first downs but nearly 40% of their yards came in the 4th quarter when the game was pretty much decided. Prior to that in the first 3 quarters, they managed only 3 drives out of their 10 total drives that were more than 35 yards. Kentucky entered Indiana territory only 5 times but scored a touchdown on each of those drives.
Connecticut 38 BUFFALO 7
The Huskies outgained Buffalo 613-241 and had 17 more first downs, 30-13. The Bulls scored their only touchdown off a turnover. They were forced to punt on 11 of their 14 drives. Amazingly, the Huskies completed only 6 more passes than Buffalo but had 230 more yards passing.
MARYLAND 34 West Virginia 7
Balance was the key for Maryland as they ran for 260 yards on 49 carries (5.3 ypc) and passed for 238 yards. They finished with 17 more first downs, 28-11, and they were 8-13 on 3rd down. The Mountaineers scored their only touchdown in garbage time as the Terps held them to 156 total yards including only 36 yards through the air on 3-12 passing.
(18 ) IOWA 21 (16) Arizona State 2
The Iowa defense completely dominated this game, allowing only 12 first downs and 184 total yards. While the defense looked good, the offense didn’t play as well. They only had 4 drives of 40 yards or more but when the defense plays as well as it did, a potent offense isn’t necessary. The Sun Devils rushed for 24 yards on 21 carries (1.2 ypc).
Stanford 18 B-Y-U 14
BYU outyarded the Cardinal 305-200 but they committed 5 costly turnovers that led to two easy touchdowns. Out of the 16 Stanford drives, only one was longer than 30 yards and that resulted in the only other score for the Cardinal. The Cougars had the ball 1st and goal at the 8 yard line with under a minute remaining but 2 sacks by Stanford helped in stopping the drive.
WAKE FOREST 34 East Carolina 16
East Carolina actually outyarded the Deacons 391-324 and used a very balanced attack but they had 5 miscues that led to 17 Wake Forest points. Their 3 first half turnovers all occurred in Wake Forest territory, one of them in the red zone while the 2 second half turnovers occurred deep in their own territory. The Deacons had a chance for the cover but were stopped at the ECU 13-yard line on 4th down with 1:32 remaining.
TOLEDO 35 (9) Pittsburgh 31
The second MAC shocker took place as the Rockets rallied in the 4th quarter by scoring two touchdowns, the last coming with :43 seconds remaining. Toledo had 12 more first downs and outyarded the Panthers 551-389 as neither team could run the ball with any consistency. Toledo finished 9-18 on 3rd and 4th down.
OREGON STATE 26 Boise State 24
The Beavers halted the Broncos 13-game winning streak as they slowed down the Boise St. high-powered offense. They held the Broncos to 18 first downs and 381 total yards. Boise St. rushed for only 47 yards on 35 caries (1.4 ypc) and they were 0-4 on 4th down.
TULSA 54 Arkansas State 7
Tulsa finished with 404 yards of offense while holding the Indians to 271 total yards and only 64 through the air. The Golden Hurricane scored back-to-back touchdowns on a punt return and an interception return. The Tulsa defense played a strong first half allowing no drives more than 25 yards, forcing 7 punts and grabbing 2 interceptions.
(14) ARKANSAS 31 North Texas 7
The Hogs held North Texas to 10 first downs and 197 total yards. The Mean Green did a good job in slowing down the Arkansas rushing attack but they didn’t have the offense to compete. North Texas committed two costly fumbles late in the first half deep in their own territory that led to two Arkansas touchdowns and expanding their lead to 24, just enough to cover the spread.
Oklahoma State 52 S-M-U 6
Rashaun Woods caught an NCAA record 7 touchdown passes as the Cowboys blew out SMU. They finished with only 2 more first downs but that was due to the Mustangs giving up huge chunks of yardage. The Cowboys averaged 6.6 ypp compared to just 3.3 for SMU. The Mustangs had a total of 38 yards in the first half.
Northern Ill 19 (21) ALABAMA 16
The third MAC shocker of the day as the defense came up huge at the right times. The Tide outyarded Northern Illinois 394-267 but the Huskies stood their ground in the 2nd half, forcing 5 punts and stopping Alabama on 4th down to end the game. The Huskies returned a PAT in the 1st quarter for 2 points, which ended up being the deciding factor.
SO CAROLINA 42 U-A-B 10
The Gamecocks from their loss at Georgia as they dominated this game, outyarding UAB 422-231 and holding the Blazers to only 11 first downs. South Carolina was 8-14 on 3rd down as they entered UAB territory on 10 of their 13 drives. The Blazers went 3 and out in 6 of their first 8 drives while committing turnovers on their other 2 drives.
(20) T-C-U 30 Vanderbilt 14
After a slow start, the Horned Frogs scored the games last 23 points. Vanderbilt had their chances but they were 0-2 in the redzone in the second half. The teams combined for 25 penalties for 253 yards.
CINCINNATI 30 Temple 24
A crazy finish that went three overtimes could have been won by either team in each overtime. There were 5 missed field goals in the extra sessions, 3 by Temple and 2 by the Bearcats. The Owls put up 522 yards of offense but were victimized by 11 penalties compared to just 2 for Cincinnati.
Clemson 39 GEORGIA TECH 3
Clemson held Georgia Tech to 45 yards rushing on 33 carries (1.4 ypc). The Tigers scored 14 points off of both Georgia Tech turnovers and the Jackets were only 1-3 in the redzone. Clemson held the Jackets to only 86 total yards in the 2nd half before a late drive that ended up a turnover on downs.
(2) Miami-Florida 33 BOSTON COLLEGE 14
Both defenses played well but it was the Miami defense and special teams that made the difference. The Hurricanes returned a punt and an interception for a touchdown that helped out their offense that gained only 300 total yards. The Miami pass defense held BC to 94 yards through the air on 8-26 passing.
HOUSTON 42 Miss State 35
The Cougars opened a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and held off a late Bulldog rally to get the win. Houston finished with 519 yards of offense but only 161 of those came in the 2nd half. Mississippi St. threw interceptions on 3 consecutive drives in the 3rd and 4th quarters allowing Houston to put up the deciding touchdown.
MINNESOTA 48 UL Lafayette 14
The Gophers outyarded La-Lafayette 530-204 and had 13 more first downs in this game that they dominated from start to finish. Minnesota was 13-20 on 3rd and 4th down as they scored on 7 of their first 8 possessions. The Cajuns finished with 50 yards rushing on 29 carries (1.7 ypc) while Minnesota ran up 356 yards on 61 carries (5.8 ypc).
(13) Texas 48 RICE 7
Texas held Rice to 11 first downs and 192 total yards while the offense racked up 25 first downs and 515 total yards. Rice was only 1-10 on 3rd down and they were held to 41 total yards in the first half. The Longhorns scored on 6 consecutive drives in the first half to build 41-0 lead at the break. Texas averaged 7.8 ypp compared to 3.7 for Rice.
FRESNO STATE 16 Louisiana Tech 6
La. Tech had a shutout going midway through the 3rd quarter until Fresno ran off the next 16 points to get the win and cover. Fresno dominated the stat sheet with a 452-256 total yard advantage, a 22-12 first down advantage and a 12 minute TOP advantage. Louisiana Tech was only 2-12 on 3rd down while Fresno was 7-19 and also 2-2 on 4th down.
Insider Edge Sports
The Hokies scored two late 4th quarter touchdowns to pull out the win and cover against Texas A&M. Virginia Tech rushed for 273 yards on 47 carries (5.8 ypc) while holding the Aggies to 102 yards on 39 carries (2.6 ypc). Texas A&M was held to 56 total yards in the 2nd half while the Hokies racked up 253 yards.
Nevada 42 SAN JOSE ST 30
Nevada dominated as they outyarded the Spartans 563-342 while holding the ball over 15 minutes longer. San Jose St.’s first two touchdowns came on a 99-yard interception return as time expired in the 2nd quarter and a 99-yard kickoff return in the 3rd quarter. Each of the Wolfpack’s first 7 drives were longer than 44 yards while averaging 64 yards per drive.
U-N-L-V 33 Hawaii 22
In what could have been the fix of the week, UNLV benefitted from 12 penalties totaling 129 yards with a few of those still up for discussion. The Warriors outyarded the Rebels 417-296 but 6 turnovers did not help their cause either. Due to the penalties, Hawaii’s averaging starting field position was from their own 48-yard line.
SYRACUSE 38 U-C-F 14
Syracuse pulled away late thanks to 318 yards on the ground on 52 carries (6.1 ypc), 241 of those from Walter Reyes. Central Florida couldn’t get anything going. They put together back-to-back drives totaling 145 yards but only gained 231 yards on their other 11 drives combined.
(12) Tennessee 24 (17) FLORIDA 10
Tennessee outgained Florida by just 20 total yards but held the ball nearly 12 minutes longer. The Vols took a 7-3 lead into the half thanks to a 48-yard hail mary as time expired. The Gators were just 1-3 in the redzone as two 4th quarter chances let to 0 points.
WISCONSIN 38 No Carolina 27
Talk about the emotional highs and lows of this game. Wisconsin kicked a field goal with 1:30 remaining giving them an 18-point lead and the likely cover. The Heels returned the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown but it was brought back because of a penalty. The Badger backers dodged a bullet or so they thought. North Carolina scored on a 26-yard pass as time expired to get the back door cover. Wisconsin finished 8-14 on 3rd and 4th down.
NC STATE 49 Texas Tech 21
The Red Raiders outyarded NC State 681-474 with 586 of those yards coming through the air. The Wolfpack used an interception return and a blocked punt return for two touchdowns. While B.J. Symons threw for more yardage, Philip Rivers was more consistent and avoided mistakes as he went 18-22 for 257 yards. The Wolfpack gained 217 yards on the ground on 39 carries (5.6 ypc) while getting the easy cover.
California 31 ILLINOIS 24
Illinois outyarded Cal 496-368 and ran 23 more plays but the Bears used a punt return for a TD as the difference. Cal also took advantage of an interception and a turnover on downs by the Illini to get 10 points that way. Illinois gained only 97 total yards in the first half falling behind 21-7 at the break.
(5) OHIO STATE 24 Bowling Green 17
The Buckeyes held of yet another late comeback by an opponent as Bowling Green rallied from a 24-7 fourth quarter deficit and almost tied the game in getting the cover. The Falcons registered more total yards, 366-323, but 3 costly interceptions did them in. One interception occurred the next play after a touchdown pass was dropped while the other two happened in Buckeye territory. The Falcons gained just 49 yards in the 2nd and 3rd quarters.
Marshall 27 (6) KANSAS STATE 20
One of the big MAC upsets on the day, the Herd held Kansas St. on a 4th and goal to end the game. The Wildcats gained 53 more total yards but a –3 turnover margin kept Marshall in the game as17 points were scored from Kansas St. turnovers. The Herd did an exceptional job on the ground, gaining 210 yards on 45 carries (4.7 ypc) while holding the Wildcats to 128 yards rushing on 39 carries (3.3 ypc).
PENN STATE 32 Kent State 10
Kent was able to keep Penn St. in check just enough to get the cover, as QB Joshua Cribbs was never a factor, leaving after the second play of the game. The Nittany Lions held the Flashed to 11 first downs and 184 total yards of offense. Penn St. finally shut down somebody on the ground, holding Kent to 79 yards on 41 carries (1.9 ypc) while gaining 282 yards on 51 carries (5.5 ypc) themselves. The Flashed entered Penn St. territory just once in their final 11 possessions.
(25) PURDUE 59 Arizona 7
As the score indicates, this game wasn’t even close. Purdue outyarded the Wildcats 580-174 and had 16 more first downs, 28-12. Balance was on display for the Boilermakers with 292 yards on the ground and 288 through the air. The Wildcats weren’t shy about giving up the big plays as 5 of Purdue’s 8 touchdowns were 29 yards or longer. The Wildcats may have thrown in the towel already.
NAVY 39 Eastern Mich 7
Eastern Michigan allowed 372 rushing yards on 65 carries (5.7 ypc) as Navy didn’t need to throw the ball to get the easy ewin and cover here. Navy failed to get into Eagles territory on only 2 of their 11 drives. Eastern Michigan turned the ball over in 5 of their 6 first half possessions. Once again, Eastern Michigan could not run the ball, gaining 32 yards on 22 carries (1.5 ypc).
(23) MISSOURI 41 Mid Tenn St 40
The Tigers survived a scare from the Blue Raiders as they scored the tying touchdown with 1:17 remaining in regulation. You couldn’t have a more even game as they were separated by 1 first down and 5 total yards. Both teams were 8-15 on 3rd down and both were 7-7 in the redzone. The difference was a missed extra point in overtime by Middle Tennessee St. The 22-point spread never came into play.
AIR FORCE 35 Wyoming 29
While the total yards were close, Air Force outrushed the Cowboys 431-88 thus controlling nearly 7 minutes more of the clock. Wyoming took a 22-21 lead in the third quarter but the Falcons responded with two consecutive 80-yard drives to go up by 13 points. Wyoming countered with an 82- yard touchdown drive late in the 4th but were never able to get the ball back.
Northwestern 28 DUKE 10
Northwestern won this game with their rushing attack and the ability to stop that of Duke’s. The Wildcats ran for 286 yards on 45 carries (6.4 ypc) while holding the Blue Devils to 90 yards on 32 attempts (2.8 ypc). Northwestern started the game with 2 long touchdown drives while Duke was forced to punt on each of their first 5 drives and could never recover from there.
BALL STATE 27 Central Mich 14
Ball St. held Central Michigan to 10 first downs helping them control nearly 14 more minutes of the clock. The Cardinals used a very balanced attack with 206 rushing yards and 215 passing yards. Ball St. finished 9-20 on 3rd and 4th down. 12 of Central Michigan’s 14 drives consisted of 4 plays or less.
Michigan St 22 NOTRE DAME 16
Notre Dame finished with 5 more first downs but the Spartans used the big play in winning this game. They scored on a 71-yard run in the 3rd quarter and ran back a 40-yard interception for a touchdown in the 4th. Notre Dame has 89 total yards in the first half.
Miami-Ohio 41 COLORADO ST 21
Miami Ohio rolled on the road as they ran for 206 yards on 39 carries (5.3 ypc) while holding the Rams to 39 yards on 29 carries (1.3 ypc). The Redhawks were able to control the clock nearly 12 minutes longer thus running 21 more plays from scrimmage. They finished 10-17 on 3rd down and put together 7 drives of 53 yards or more.
LOUISVILLE 42 Texas-El Paso 14
UTEP scored first and last but allowed the Cardinals 42 points in-between. Besides their two touchdown drives, the Miners only gained 165 total yards but they did enter Louisville territory 4 other times - they missed a field goal and turned the ball over on downs the three other times. Louisville entered UTEP territory on 9 of their first 10 drives.
(19) WASHINGTON 45 Idaho 14
Idaho stayed close for a while until the Huskies scored the final 28 points and getting the cover with 2:42 remaining. Washington held the Vandals to 10 first downs and 206 total yards while racking up 502 total yards themselves. The Huskies pass defense allowed just 86 yards on 9-30 passing.
(1) OKLAHOMA 59 U-C-L-A 24
Antoni Perkins returned 3 punts for touchdowns and the Oklahoma defense returned an interception for a touchdown. The Bruins had only 3 drives of more than 23 yards of their 17 total drives. UCLA was able to hold the Sooners to 111 yards rushing on 35 carries (3.2 ypc).
(11) L-S-U 17 (7) Georgia 10
LSU scored the game winner on a 34-yard touchdown pass with 1:22 remaining just minutes after Georgia tied the game on a 93-yard pass play. The Bulldogs outyarded LSU 411-285 and had 7 more first downs but 3 missed field goal by Billy Bennett was the difference.
(10) FLORIDA STATE 47 Colorado 7
Florida St. dominated as they racked up 551 yards of offense, including 458 through the air. They doubled up on the Buffaloes first downs 26-13 and if not for an 81-yard touchdown pass, they would have recorded their second shutout of the season. Taking out that pass play, the Buffs gained only 194 yards on offense.
(22) OREGON 31 (3) Michigan 27
Michigan started off good by blocking a field goal and returning it for a touchdown but then the Ducks took over scoring the next 24 points. Oregon did a superb job on the Michigan running game, allowing -3 total net yards on only 19 carries. The Wolverines were forced to throw the ball more than they liked due to falling behind so early. The Ducks held Michigan to 54 total yards on their first 9 drives of the game.
Tulane 50 ARMY 33
Army finished with more total yards, 481-479, and more first downs, 29-26, but their 8 turnovers were impossible to overcome. Tulane held tough in the first half as they were able to put up 3 touchdowns while allowing only 2 Army field goals. J.P. Losman played a nearly flawless game going 26-34 for 350 yards and 5 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. The Green Wave scored with 3:18 remaining to get the cover or the push in some cases.
(24) WASHINGTON ST 23 New Mexico 13
The Cougars used 5 field goals to get the win ver the Lobos but not the cover. The game wasn’t as close as the score indicates as Washington St. outyarded New Mexico 433-257 and had 15 more first downs 27-12. To the Lobos credit, the defense stood when it had to but it was their offense that didn’t do the job. 10 of their 13 drives were 4 plays or less.
Kentucky 34 INDIANA 17
Indiana outyarded the Wildcats 449-354 and had 5 more first downs but nearly 40% of their yards came in the 4th quarter when the game was pretty much decided. Prior to that in the first 3 quarters, they managed only 3 drives out of their 10 total drives that were more than 35 yards. Kentucky entered Indiana territory only 5 times but scored a touchdown on each of those drives.
Connecticut 38 BUFFALO 7
The Huskies outgained Buffalo 613-241 and had 17 more first downs, 30-13. The Bulls scored their only touchdown off a turnover. They were forced to punt on 11 of their 14 drives. Amazingly, the Huskies completed only 6 more passes than Buffalo but had 230 more yards passing.
MARYLAND 34 West Virginia 7
Balance was the key for Maryland as they ran for 260 yards on 49 carries (5.3 ypc) and passed for 238 yards. They finished with 17 more first downs, 28-11, and they were 8-13 on 3rd down. The Mountaineers scored their only touchdown in garbage time as the Terps held them to 156 total yards including only 36 yards through the air on 3-12 passing.
(18 ) IOWA 21 (16) Arizona State 2
The Iowa defense completely dominated this game, allowing only 12 first downs and 184 total yards. While the defense looked good, the offense didn’t play as well. They only had 4 drives of 40 yards or more but when the defense plays as well as it did, a potent offense isn’t necessary. The Sun Devils rushed for 24 yards on 21 carries (1.2 ypc).
Stanford 18 B-Y-U 14
BYU outyarded the Cardinal 305-200 but they committed 5 costly turnovers that led to two easy touchdowns. Out of the 16 Stanford drives, only one was longer than 30 yards and that resulted in the only other score for the Cardinal. The Cougars had the ball 1st and goal at the 8 yard line with under a minute remaining but 2 sacks by Stanford helped in stopping the drive.
WAKE FOREST 34 East Carolina 16
East Carolina actually outyarded the Deacons 391-324 and used a very balanced attack but they had 5 miscues that led to 17 Wake Forest points. Their 3 first half turnovers all occurred in Wake Forest territory, one of them in the red zone while the 2 second half turnovers occurred deep in their own territory. The Deacons had a chance for the cover but were stopped at the ECU 13-yard line on 4th down with 1:32 remaining.
TOLEDO 35 (9) Pittsburgh 31
The second MAC shocker took place as the Rockets rallied in the 4th quarter by scoring two touchdowns, the last coming with :43 seconds remaining. Toledo had 12 more first downs and outyarded the Panthers 551-389 as neither team could run the ball with any consistency. Toledo finished 9-18 on 3rd and 4th down.
OREGON STATE 26 Boise State 24
The Beavers halted the Broncos 13-game winning streak as they slowed down the Boise St. high-powered offense. They held the Broncos to 18 first downs and 381 total yards. Boise St. rushed for only 47 yards on 35 caries (1.4 ypc) and they were 0-4 on 4th down.
TULSA 54 Arkansas State 7
Tulsa finished with 404 yards of offense while holding the Indians to 271 total yards and only 64 through the air. The Golden Hurricane scored back-to-back touchdowns on a punt return and an interception return. The Tulsa defense played a strong first half allowing no drives more than 25 yards, forcing 7 punts and grabbing 2 interceptions.
(14) ARKANSAS 31 North Texas 7
The Hogs held North Texas to 10 first downs and 197 total yards. The Mean Green did a good job in slowing down the Arkansas rushing attack but they didn’t have the offense to compete. North Texas committed two costly fumbles late in the first half deep in their own territory that led to two Arkansas touchdowns and expanding their lead to 24, just enough to cover the spread.
Oklahoma State 52 S-M-U 6
Rashaun Woods caught an NCAA record 7 touchdown passes as the Cowboys blew out SMU. They finished with only 2 more first downs but that was due to the Mustangs giving up huge chunks of yardage. The Cowboys averaged 6.6 ypp compared to just 3.3 for SMU. The Mustangs had a total of 38 yards in the first half.
Northern Ill 19 (21) ALABAMA 16
The third MAC shocker of the day as the defense came up huge at the right times. The Tide outyarded Northern Illinois 394-267 but the Huskies stood their ground in the 2nd half, forcing 5 punts and stopping Alabama on 4th down to end the game. The Huskies returned a PAT in the 1st quarter for 2 points, which ended up being the deciding factor.
SO CAROLINA 42 U-A-B 10
The Gamecocks from their loss at Georgia as they dominated this game, outyarding UAB 422-231 and holding the Blazers to only 11 first downs. South Carolina was 8-14 on 3rd down as they entered UAB territory on 10 of their 13 drives. The Blazers went 3 and out in 6 of their first 8 drives while committing turnovers on their other 2 drives.
(20) T-C-U 30 Vanderbilt 14
After a slow start, the Horned Frogs scored the games last 23 points. Vanderbilt had their chances but they were 0-2 in the redzone in the second half. The teams combined for 25 penalties for 253 yards.
CINCINNATI 30 Temple 24
A crazy finish that went three overtimes could have been won by either team in each overtime. There were 5 missed field goals in the extra sessions, 3 by Temple and 2 by the Bearcats. The Owls put up 522 yards of offense but were victimized by 11 penalties compared to just 2 for Cincinnati.
Clemson 39 GEORGIA TECH 3
Clemson held Georgia Tech to 45 yards rushing on 33 carries (1.4 ypc). The Tigers scored 14 points off of both Georgia Tech turnovers and the Jackets were only 1-3 in the redzone. Clemson held the Jackets to only 86 total yards in the 2nd half before a late drive that ended up a turnover on downs.
(2) Miami-Florida 33 BOSTON COLLEGE 14
Both defenses played well but it was the Miami defense and special teams that made the difference. The Hurricanes returned a punt and an interception for a touchdown that helped out their offense that gained only 300 total yards. The Miami pass defense held BC to 94 yards through the air on 8-26 passing.
HOUSTON 42 Miss State 35
The Cougars opened a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and held off a late Bulldog rally to get the win. Houston finished with 519 yards of offense but only 161 of those came in the 2nd half. Mississippi St. threw interceptions on 3 consecutive drives in the 3rd and 4th quarters allowing Houston to put up the deciding touchdown.
MINNESOTA 48 UL Lafayette 14
The Gophers outyarded La-Lafayette 530-204 and had 13 more first downs in this game that they dominated from start to finish. Minnesota was 13-20 on 3rd and 4th down as they scored on 7 of their first 8 possessions. The Cajuns finished with 50 yards rushing on 29 carries (1.7 ypc) while Minnesota ran up 356 yards on 61 carries (5.8 ypc).
(13) Texas 48 RICE 7
Texas held Rice to 11 first downs and 192 total yards while the offense racked up 25 first downs and 515 total yards. Rice was only 1-10 on 3rd down and they were held to 41 total yards in the first half. The Longhorns scored on 6 consecutive drives in the first half to build 41-0 lead at the break. Texas averaged 7.8 ypp compared to 3.7 for Rice.
FRESNO STATE 16 Louisiana Tech 6
La. Tech had a shutout going midway through the 3rd quarter until Fresno ran off the next 16 points to get the win and cover. Fresno dominated the stat sheet with a 452-256 total yard advantage, a 22-12 first down advantage and a 12 minute TOP advantage. Louisiana Tech was only 2-12 on 3rd down while Fresno was 7-19 and also 2-2 on 4th down.
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